What are the 5 Best Practices for SMS Marketing in the US?

SMS marketing has grown in importance as a method for businesses to reach their clients in the current digital era.

With more than 80% of US consumers possessing a smartphone, it's no surprise that SMS marketing has grown to be a well-liked method of interacting with clients directly. To guarantee that your messages are successful and well-received, it's crucial to adhere to best practises while using SMS marketing in order to get the most out of it. We will go over the top 5 SMS marketing strategies in the US in this blog post.

These techniques involve getting permission, segmenting your audience, writing succinct communications, timing your messaging effectively, and tracking your outcomes. You may boost your consumer engagement and the efficacy of your SMS marketing efforts by adhering to these best practises. So without further ado, let's get started with the US SMS marketing best practises.

Is SMS marketing legal in US?

It's vital to first address the issue of whether SMS marketing is allowed in the US before delving into the best practises for SMS marketing. The quick answer is yes, but there are some significant qualifications. We will look at the laws and rules that firms must go by while using SMS marketing in this section as we examine the legal framework for SMS marketing in the US.

Businesses can make sure they are operating within the law's parameters and steer clear of potential legal problems by understanding the legal environment of SMS marketing. Now let's examine SMS marketing's legal standing in the US in more detail.

The SMS Marketing regulations

Several laws and regulations, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the CAN-SPAM Act, govern SMS marketing in the US. The major regulation governing SMS marketing is the TCPA, which specifies standards for getting recipient consent before sending SMS messages, clearly stating how to opt-out, and other crucial guidelines. Additionally, the CAN-SPAM Act governs SMS marketing that includes promotional content and specifies the need for sender identification and an easy mechanism for recipients to unsubscribe.

Before sending any SMS messages, firms should make sure they have received the appropriate consent from receivers in order to comply with these rules. A double opt-in procedure that requires the recipient to confirm their want to receive SMS messages through a second confirmation step can be used to accomplish this. Also, companies should make sure that all SMS messages have explicit opt-out instructions and respect the recipient's choice to do so.

It's also crucial to remember that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has the authority to impose significant fines for violations of the rules governing SMS marketing. A firm received a $10 million fine from the FCC in 2020 for sending over 47,000 unsolicited text messages to customers in violation of the TCPA.

Businesses may make sure they are working within the bounds of the law and stay out of trouble by adhering to the rules outlined by the TCPA and the CAN-SPAM Act.

The Top 5 Best Practices for SMS Marketing in the US

Now, if you're short on time, these TL;DR points will get you up and running with your SMS marketing campaigns:

1. Obtain Consent - The first and most crucial stage in SMS marketing is acquiring the recipient's agreement. It's not just necessary by law; it also guarantees that you are only contacting people who want to hear from you.
2. Segment Your Audience - An essential best practise for SMS marketing is audience segmentation. You can modify your messaging to be more pertinent and interesting by segmenting your audience into groups based on demographics or previous activity.
3. Keep Your Messages Short and Sweet - Keep your messages succinct and to the point when using SMS marketing.
4. Timing is Everything - Your SMS marketing campaigns' success will be greatly impacted by timing.
5. Analyse Your Results - Understanding what is working and what isn't with your SMS marketing efforts requires analysis of the data. You can enhance your strategy and the efficiency of your SMS marketing by monitoring KPIs.

Best Practice #1: Obtain Consent

The first and most crucial stage in SMS marketing is acquiring the recipient's agreement. It's not just necessary by law; it also guarantees that you are only contacting people who want to hear from you. The following are some suggestions for getting consent:

1. Use an opt-in message that is straightforward and brief: Make sure your messaging is clear and simple to understand when requesting receivers to opt-in to your SMS marketing campaigns. It should outline what they might anticipate receiving, how frequently they will receive it, and any fees or expenditures that might be associated with it.
2. Employ a double opt-in method to make sure that the recipient has given their informed consent. This means that a second confirmation step, such as responding "YES" to a confirmation message, is required for the recipient to affirm their agreement to receive messages.
3. Provide recipients a simple way to opt out: Recipients should have the option to stop receiving SMS messages at any moment. Make sure to provide easy-to-follow opt-out instructions in every communication, like replying "STOP" to halt message delivery.
4. Maintain records of consent: Records of consent should be kept in case of disagreements or legal difficulties. Note the time and date that you received consent, the request's message, and the recipient's phone number.

You can make sure that your SMS marketing messages are well-received by your audience and that you are acting legally by acquiring consent in a clear and informed manner. Consent, as you may recall, is the cornerstone of effective SMS marketing.

Best Practice #2: Segment Your Audience

An essential best practise for SMS marketing is audience segmentation. You can modify your messaging to be more pertinent and interesting by segmenting your audience into groups based on demographics or previous activity. The following are some best practises for audience segmentation:

1. Define your segments: Prior to segmenting your audience, choose the criteria you'll apply. You can segment based on past activity such as purchase history or engagement with previous SMS messages, but demographic information such as age, location, or gender is a smart place to start.
2. Employ dynamic segmentation: Update your segments in real-time by using dynamic segmentation rather than static lists. This enables you to target recipients based on their present-day actions or interests as opposed to previous data.
3. Customize your messaging: After defining your segments, you can modify your messaging to make it more pertinent and interesting. Create a message that is customised and speaks to the recipient specifically using their name or other personal information.
4. Test and improve your segments: You can discover that some segments are more successful than others with time. To make sure that your messages are reaching the appropriate individuals at the right time, always test and improve your segments.

You may establish more focused and successful SMS marketing campaigns by segmenting your audience. Don't forget to segment your audience, employ dynamic segmentation, customise your communications, and iterate your strategy constantly. You may enhance the efficiency of your SMS marketing and raise audience engagement by following these best practises.

Best Practice #3: Keep Your Messages Short and Sweet

Keep your messages succinct and to the point when using SMS marketing. It's crucial to communicate your point clearly and concisely given the limited time and attention available. The following are some guidelines for writing powerful SMS messages:

1. Be succinct: In an SMS message, every word counts, so make sure to write as few words as you can. Stay on topic and leave out any extraneous details.
2. Make it clear what you want the receiver to do by using unambiguous calls to action. To promote involvement, use a direct call to action like "Click here" or "Respond YES."
3. Employ plain language: Steer clear of jargon or other terms that the recipient could find challenging to comprehend. Keep your writing clear and simple to read.
4. Be pertinent: Make sure the receiver will find your communication relevant. To adapt your messaging to their interests or prior behaviour, use dynamic segmentation.
5. Add a sense of urgency in your message to persuade readers to take urgent action. To convey urgency, use phrases like "Limited time offer" or "Final chance."

You can enhance audience engagement and motivate people to act by keeping your communications succinct and to the point. Keep in mind to be succinct, use calls to action that are clear, use simple language, be relevant, and incorporate an urgency. You can create powerful SMS messages that connect with your audience and produce results by following these best practises.

Best Practice #4: Timing is Everything

Your SMS marketing campaigns' success will be greatly impacted by timing. Your messages' timeliness can have an impact on whether or not they are read and how likely it is that they will result in a conversion. These are some guidelines for sending SMS messages on time:

1. Think of the time zones: Be cautious of the recipients' time zones. Avert sending messages when you wouldn't normally be awake, and modify your timing to account for different time zones.
2. Utilize analytics to learn when your audience is most active and engaged in order to better plan your timing. This might assist you in choosing the best time to send your messages.
3. Schedule your messages to coincide with important occasions or holidays to make them more timely and pertinent. Send out a notification, for instance, about a back-to-school deal at the start of the academic year.
4. Sending communications at inconvenient times, such as rush hour or mealtimes, is advised. Frustration and a poor impression of your brand may result from this.
5. Profit from timely occurrences: Deliver communications in response to occurrences, such as a weather-related event that could affect your company. This can assist you maintain your audience's attention and show your relevancy.

You may improve the likelihood that your SMS messages will be read and responded to by taking timing into account. Always keep time zones in mind, use data to inform timing, plan messaging around events, avoid disruptive periods, and capitalise on timely occasions. You can make sure that your SMS messages are sent at the appropriate time and to the appropriate audience by following these best practises.

Best Practice #5: Analyse Your Results

Understanding what is working and what isn't with your SMS marketing efforts requires analysis of the data. You can enhance your strategy and the efficiency of your SMS marketing by monitoring KPIs like open rates, conversion rates, and engagement. The following are some effective practises for reviewing your findings:

1. Monitor metrics: Make use of analytics software to keep tabs on important figures like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This will assist you in determining how well your SMS messages are working and where you need to make improvements.
2. Analyze performance over time to spot trends and patterns. Assess the effectiveness of your SMS messages over time. This can assist you in comprehending how adjustments to your strategy are affecting your outcomes.
3. Employ A/B testing to determine the most effective strategy by experimenting with various factors such message content, timing, and call-to-action. Use A/B testing to compare the effectiveness of various factors and improve your strategy.
4. Adapt your strategy: Use the knowledge you acquired from your investigation to modify your strategy and raise the potency of your SMS marketing. Based on what you discover from your findings, keep making adjustments to your strategy.
5. Always monitor your SMS marketing's progress and outcomes, and make any adjustments. You can remain on top of audience changes by regularly evaluating and analysing your outcomes, which will also help your SMS marketing become more effective over time.

You may hone your strategy and raise the efficiency of your SMS marketing efforts by reviewing your results. Track metrics, compare performance over time, conduct A/B testing, modify your strategy, and measure outcomes regularly. By following these best practises, you can make sure that your SMS marketing is producing results and increasing audience engagement.

Conclusion

In order to communicate with their clients, firms are using SMS marketing more and more. Businesses may make sure their messages are well-received, efficient, and comply with legal requirements by adhering to best practises for SMS marketing. The following are the top 5 SMS marketing strategies in the US:

• Obtain Consent
• Segment Your Audience
• Keep Your Messages Short and Sweet
• Timing is Everything
• Analyze Your Results

Keep in mind that SMS marketing is a potent weapon, but it needs to be used wisely and efficiently. You can design effective SMS marketing campaigns that get results and strengthen your engagement with clients by adhering to these best practises. Make the most of your SMS marketing efforts by putting these best practises into practise right away.